I was there for the late show, and up til then, I only had the Anthem of the Sun record, which I thought was kind of interesting but hard to understand. Then, much of the album material was performed at the late show, and it suddenly all made sense. I never saw such an ocean of Pittsburgh hippies, all smiling in the Navy P jackets--maybe one of the first times we all recognized we were a big family.
The late show started with some "radical" anti-war rant by Paul Krassner, but the audience actually booed him off the stage! (gotta love that non-political Pgh mindset) We came for music and that was it. The Fugs and the Velvet Underground opened the music, both well received, but then the Dead came on and we were transported off the face of the Earth.
So great to hear it again!

don't let the song times fool you, very well jammed early show. spacey but not dreamy dark star, hard charging stephen. if you're a fan of the eleven like me, you'll find everything you are looking for in that song also. and then, pig come to town.

Pretty sure Jerry invented that word. Or it was invented for Jerry. Darkstar is at once delicate and then thundering in its beauty. This is the Dead being the Dead. Amazing.

On A Crisp Evening In A Waning Winter Of 1969.The Dead Broke Like A Psychedelic Dawn On The River Valley Town Of Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania.Pouring Their Intense Burning Light On A Select Few.Sewing The Seeds Of Thousands Transformed By The Light Through The Years.Until In 1995, Though Diminished By Time It Slipped Behind The Western Mountains.Leaving Smiles,Friendships,And Musical Memories.Fortunately Preserved In Recordings Such As This.That Crackles With That Burning Energy And Intensity Of That First Psychedelic Dawn.